The weather will cooperate for the 23rd edition of Riverfest, news that fired up preparations for the downtown-centered events Friday and Saturday.

Starting today, South Street, from Walnut to Mulberry, will be closed. Also, Washington Street, from Crawford to Veto, will be closed. More streets will be shut down beginning early Friday morning, ahead of vendor setup, said Erin Hern, Riverfest president.

“We are excited,” Hern said this morning. “The weather’s going to be perfect.”

Advance tickets remain available for two nights of entertainment. Daytime events are free.

Through the years, the festival has seen shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and washouts — all dependent on what Mother Nature decides conditions should be on the third weekend of April. Today, forecasts were for sunny skies all weekend with highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s.

Country, blues, rock, bluegrass and R&B will blast from the South Stage at South and Washington streets.

This year’s headliners are country music singer Jason Michael Carroll and blues and R&B artist J. Blackfoot. Carroll will close out Friday night’s activities with a performance at 10:45, while Blackfoot will take the stage Saturday night at 9:15.

Jackson blues guitarist King Edward will open the festival at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by local band The Chill at 7:05, Clarksdale native Jimbo Mathus at 8:10 and Mobile’s The Tip Tops at 9:15.

Saturday will feature bluegrass tunes by the Mayhem String Band of Oxford at 6 p.m., rock by Rocket 88 at 7:05, tunes by Reid Stone and the Guilt Ridden Troubadour at 8:10 and Blue Mountain at 10:45.

Also on Saturday will be the 42nd annual Vicksburg-Warren County Riverfest Arts & Crafts Show, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. along South, Walnut and Crawford streets.

Other free activities, including Gospel Fest on the South Stage, will be offered along Washington beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Other events this weekend include:

• Bluz Cruz canoe and kayak race along the Mississippi River;

• Alabama-Mississippi Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Walk MS;

• Center for Pregnancy Choices Walk for Life;

• Vicksburg Red Carpet Classic Auto Show;

• Alcorn State Jazz Fest at the convention center; and

• Y’s Men’s Pancake Breakfast, Friday and Saturday mornings at the Purks YMCA.

“Whether it’s Riverfest or anything else, downtown business owners support downtown,” said Regina Gailani, owner of Art and Soul of the South, a shop on Washington Street.

Steven Marcus, owner of Marcus Furniture Company agrees.

“It brings people downtown. It generates dollars,” he said. “We definitely need to show off downtown Vicksburg.”

Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com